Metallic fence-post.



0. ww 3., V. a M d e .I n e .I a P Vl Dn nn E T Um. S. W. 4. 9 4 6 a N METALLIC FENCE POST.

(Application filed Dec. 6, 1898.)

(No Model.)

any @fr 16 Jwuez HT i of a modified form of post.

I www nrTan STATES PATENT OFFICEo SAMUEL Il. TERRY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO SMITH P. GALT, OF SAME PLACE.

/lVl ETALLIC FENCE-POST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 649,416-, dated May 8, 1900.

Application Elea December 6, 1898. Serial No. 698,486. (No model.)

To all wiz/om t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL II. TERRY, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metallic Fence-Posts, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part cf this specification.

My invention relates to a fence-post made of metallic tubing, the construction of which is such that the post is caused to rest in the ground more firmly than with the constructions of such posts as they have heretofore been made.

My invention further relates to a screw carried by the lower end of the post and to the details of construction in the attachment of such screw to the body of the post.

My invention consists in features of novelty hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims. y

Figure I shows an elevation of my improved post. II is an enlarged vertical section of the lower portion thereof. Fig. III is a horizontal section taken on line III III, Fig. II. Fig. IV is an elevation of the lower end Fig. V is a crosssection taken on the line V V, Fig. IV. Fig. VI is a view in elevation of a post with the screw omitted from the lower end. Fig. VII is a detail vertical section illustrating a means forsecuring the fence-wires to the posts. Fig. VIII illustrates a form of clamp and socket for use in screwing the post into the ground. Fig. IX is a transverse section taken on line IX IX, Fig. I.

l designates the body of the post, provided from end to end with a slot l. This bodyis preferably made from a blank rolled into tubular form and is encircled at intervals by rings 2, that hold the body in shape. The rings 2 are preferably formed with depressions located at the slot l and forming beads that extend into the said slot and prevent the edges of the body at each side of the slot from coming together or passing each other to result in the body collapsing. Instead of the depressions mentioned lugs may be formed on the inside of said rings to seat in the slot l and accomplish the same purpose as the beads formed by depressions. The taper is given to the post by using rings 2 of different sizes, the rings diminishing in size from the bottom 1 upwardly. As the rings are applied the slot 1 closes toward the top of the post, thus giving the taper to the post, while the blank from which the post is made is of the same width from end to end or from the top to the bottom.

3 designates a'eore of some suitable material-such as wood, metal, or concrete-1ocated in the body of the post and extending through said body past the portion of the post that is adapted to occupy a position at the line of the ground in which the post isseated.

4 designates the lower end of the post, which is of tapering form from the point A downwardly to its end, the diameter of such lower end diminishing from the pointA downwardly. This tapering lower end is surround; ed by a ring 2, that gives it its taper the same as the rings 2 taper the post above the ground line.

5 designates a sleeve surrounding the post above the point A. This sleeve is provided with a depression G, that forms a key entere ing the slot 1a to prevent said slot lfrom closing, the sleeve being designed to confine the body of the post and hold it firmly' to the core 3, thereby enabling the core to strengthen the post-body at the ground-line and also to form a tight joint within the post to prevent the ingress of moisture. The sleeve 5 also serves to secure a more firm condition of the ground at the line thereof by reason of such sleeve packing the ground at the top of the hole made in insert-ing the post. It will be readily seen by forming the post with a tapering lower end that when it is inserted in the ground it will form a corresponding tapering hole, leaving the ground firm around it from the top to the bottom of said hole that does not require any tamping to render the seating of the post solid and secure.

7 designates a screw attached to the lower end of the post. This screw is provided with a shank S, formed with a slot 9, said slot be-V ing preferably of wedge shape (see Fig. Il) located in line with the slot l, extending throughout the post. The shank 8 is formed with a groove l0 in it adapted to receive a IOO bead lb, formed on the interior of the lower end 4 of the post.

1l designates a collar that surrounds the lower end 4 of the post directly above the screw 7. This collar is provided with an interior key 12, preferably of wedge shape, as seen in Fig. II, that is adapted to enter and seat in the tapering slot 9 of the screw-shank 8 passing also through the slot at the lower end of the post portion 4. In attaching the screw to the post the shank Sis first inserted into the lower open end of the portion 4, so that its groove comes into registration with the bead ll and said bead seats in said groove.

The collar 11, being at this time on the portion 4, above the extreme lower end thereof, is next forced downwardly on the portion 4, withits key l2 riding in the slots 1a and 9. As the collar 11 is forced down the key 12 travels in the tapering slot 9, 'spreading the shank 8 (from the position shown in dotted lines vto the position shown in full lines, Fig. II) at the same time that the collar binds lirmly around the exterior of the lower end of the portion 4 of the post, keeping it from spreading. In this manner the screw-shank is securely held to a seat within the lower end of the post.

VVhileI have shown and described the lower end of the post 4 formed with a bead 1b, it is r evident that this bead might be omitted and theportion 4 beAindented into the groove l0 before the collar n1l is slipped thereover, thereby forming a similar joint to that effected by the existence of the bead entering said groove.

AIn Figs. IV and VI, have shown the lower end 4'with an integral screw 7 in lieu of the screw 7 and a surrounding auxiliary screw 13. The remainder of the post is designed to be of the same construction as that hereinbefoe described.

In Fig. VI,I have shown a post adapted to be driven into the ground instead of being provided with a screw at its lower end. The body of this `post is designated by l', having a slot 1" and a lower tapering portion 4". This form of post is not surrounded by rings below theground; but its tapering lower end is adapted to form a hole of corresponding shape, and owing to its being unconfined by rings it is adapted to spread slightly at its lower end, and thereby become anchored in the ground.

In Fig. VII, I have illustrated a means for securing the fence-wires to the posts, which consists simply in a U-shaped wire passing through perforations in the post made opposite the slot l, the ends of the wire extending across the post through the slot and having their ends bent outwardly.

In Fig. VIII, I have showna form of clamp and socket to be used in screwing the post in'to the ground. 16 represents the socket, adapted to receive a lever and on which is formed the ring 17 of the clamp. This ring is made in two sections hinged together at 18, the outer half of the ring having an eX- tension 19 to receive a bolt 20, pivoted at 2l to-an ear 22, formed upon the socket. The inner halt" of the ring is formed with a rib 23 to fit in the slot la of the post. In use the ring is placed around the post with the rib 23 tting in the slot l, and the thumb-nut is then tightened on the bolt 20, vthe socket being thus firmly clamped to the post. Vhen the post has been screwed into the ground the required depth, the socket and clamp are removed for use on another post.

As will be observed, the screw 7 does not elevate the ground', but simply cuts through the ground, and the post at the ground-line being larger in diameter than the body of the screw the post will have a firm anchorage when this large part of the post at the groundline is drawn into the ground by the screw.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a fence-post, the combination of a longitudinally-slotted body having a tapering lower end, a screw having a shank seated in said lower end, and a collar surrounding the lower end of said body, substantially as described.

2. In a fence-post, the combination of a longitudinally-slotted body, a screw having a slotted shank seated in the lower end of said body, a colla-r surrounding the lower end of said body, and a key carried by said collar adapted to seat in the slot of said screw-shank, substantially as described.

3. In a fence-post, the combination of a longitudinally-slotted body, a screw having va slotted shank seated in the lower end of said body, said shank having a groove and said body having an interior bead adaptedto enter said groove, a collar su rrounding the lower end of said body, and a tapering key carried by said collar adapted to seat in the slot of said shank, substantially as described.

SAML. l-I. TERRY.

In presence of- E. S. KNIGHT, STANLEY SfroNnR.

IOO 

